Coach K Stepping Down from Team USA - Odds on Replacement and Why It Matters
ESPN.com – Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told ESPN that the 2016 Olympics will be his last one coaching the United States men’s basketball national team, and that a succession plan to replace him will be announced in the coming year before the Games in Rio de Janeiro next summer.
It’s not shocking news, but it’s still big news that Coach K will be stepping down as head coach of Team USA after the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. According to Coach K and reports, there will be a succession plan announced before the Games next summer.
Now, I know what people are going to say. Why do we care, dumbass? This is still the USA and we’re just going to win by 100. Yes, valid points. We are still the USA and we are still silly when it comes to international basketball competition. But, the biggest part of this is who will replace Krzyewskiizjiwweij (approximate correct spelling) because this has been a way to help recruiting for Duke.
Since he took over the US program, we’ve seen a bump in how he’s recruited at Duke. Most notably he’s brought in more of the one-and-done type players and groomed a player like Kyrie Irving to be a star for the US. He had the blessings of players like LeBron, CP3 and Melo all talking about how great he is. What high school kid wouldn’t want to go play for a guy that has that exposure and pull? Oh, also the fact he oversees the US National Team as a whole, meaning he had access to the U-17 and U-19 teams, which ironically enough big time high school kids play on.
This also will raise the question on where Krzyzewski stands for coaching at Duke. I wouldn’t worry about that if you’re a Blue Devils fan as there’s at least five more years of him as your head coach. This is obviously just a step so he’s not coaching two programs for more than a decade as he took over the US in 2008.
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No one on his staff right now will take over the spot. Mostly because the three guys (Monty Williams, Tom Thibodeau and Jim Boeheim) won’t be coaching come opening night due to not having a job or being suspended.
So, let’s take a look at Reags’ Sportsbook Odds on who will be the next head coach and why:
Brad Stevens (Boston Celtics) 3/1
Stevens is a good, young coach that obviously has NBA experience. He is well-respected throughout the league and often considered the best young coach in the game. Any guy that can take Butler to two title games and turn the Celtics around as quick as he’s done should be a favorite to coach this all-star team.
John Calipari (Kentucky Wildcats) 5/1
This almost makes too much sense. Jerry Colangelo will likely want to keep a college coach as the head coach and why not Cal? He has experience coaching at the international level as he coached the Dominican Republic National Team a few years back and after the 2016 Olympics, there’s a good chance half the team is made up of his former players. Plus, everyone knows Calipari can’t turn down a chance to sell his Kentucky program to recruits.
Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) 15/1
Much like Stevens, Kerr is a younger coach in the NBA with a ton of success obviously. He has two of the stars on the US team on the Warriors in Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. His small-ball approach to the NBA is similar to how the international game is being played.
Billy Donovan (Oklahoma City Thunder) 25/1
Notice a trend? Young coaches and guys with a ton of success at the collegiate level except for Kerr. Well, Donovan also has US experience as he was the head coach for the U-18 and U-19 teams, winning the gold medals in the 2012 U-18 Americas, 2013 U-19 FIBA World Championships and 2014 U-18 Americas.
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